


Santa Claus is coming to town

by aamunkoitto



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Eventual Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, F/M, Kidnapped Stiles, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-11 00:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8944897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aamunkoitto/pseuds/aamunkoitto
Summary: The nogitsune is gone and even though Stiles knows he isn't to blame he still feels responsible. He latches onto a case of missing children to make up for all the horrible things he did while possessed, thinking it has nothing to do with the supernatural world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this story happens some time after the events of season 3b. Kate didn't happen and it's been quiet after the pack defeated the nogitsune, Derek and Stiles have gotten a bit closer, Isaac never left but Allison is still dead. The events will progress quickly! Hopefully most of you aren't bothered by that. (Fingers crossed!)

 

Stiles sat in his car, listening to the police radio. He couldn't sleep and his dad had the night shift again so he decided to return to his old hobby of keeping track of what was happening in the town _besides_ all the supernatural shit. He had been so deep in Scott's problems and Derek's problems and then in his own supernatural problems that he had forgotten about the very human problems like break-ins, robberies and assaults normal people battled against. He couldn't base his whole life on the paranormal. Plus, a kid had gone missing a couple of days ago and despite the search parties (in which the whole pack had participated) hadn't been found. Not even Malia had caught onto the girl's scent. Not all problems could be solved with superhuman abilities and this case had reminded the pack about it.

  
A sudden thump on the roof of his Jeep made Stiles jump and his heart rate picked up. Derek slid in from the open passenger side window and Stiles released the breath he hadn't noticed he was holding.

  
"Never mind all the bad guys trying to kill me when you're doing them a favor by giving me a heart attack! What are you even doing here?" Stiles squeaked. Derek smiled smugly like it was some kind of accomplishment to have Stiles jump out of his skin in the dark when he was trying to both keep his eyes on anything suspicious and his ears on the police radio. So far nothing exciting had happened that would've piqued his interest despite the radio going on multiple times already.

  
"Just running around", Derek told him.

  
"Or running away from Peter", Stiles joked.

  
"Surprisingly, no. He's been a bit weird lately", Derek confessed with his typical frown.

  
"Weird how?"

  
"I don't know. He's been less schemy"

  
"Less schemy", Stiles repeated, unimpressed. "Isn't that a good thing? He's not planning on killing any of us, he's not weaving his webs to get our pack into trouble or trying to find a way to become an alpha".

  
Derek's frown deepened. "But why?"

  
"Umm, maybe he got better?" Even Scott, bless his innocent heart, wouldn't believe that.

  
"Stiles, being an unreliable, scheming creeper is in his nature! He doesn't just 'get better' without a motive".

  
"Maybe you should try to find out what he's up to then! Now that everything's calmed down you'd actually have the time", Stiles snorted.  
"Yeah, yeah we have time. So what are you doing here, seeking more trouble? You should be sleeping."

  
"So should you but here you are", Stiles gestured wildly, getting uncomfortable having Derek interrogate him once again, on the same topic as always. At first it had been reassuring to know that the pack didn't hate him because of what had happened and that Derek cared for him enough to check up on him. A little spark of hope had risen in him that maybe, just _maybe_ , Derek felt something deeper towards him. But then nothing had happened and Stiles had squashed that little spark with a heavy boot. His already fragile mental health (and even more fragile self-esteem) wouldn't be able to handle yet another rejection.

  
"I'm not underage. Does your father know you're here?"

  
Silence.

  
"I'll take that as a no. Look, Stiles, what happened-"

  
"I know, Derek", Stiles snapped, cutting him off. Derek looked at him with an annoyed scowl for being interrupted. "It wasn't my fault, I wasn't the one in control. But I saw everything. I saw - felt even - it doing all those horrible things with my body."

  
"But it doesn't mean that you should try to make up for it by doing something stupid", Derek told him before jumping out of the window he had come in from and disappeared into the darkness. He was so frustrating sometimes. Stiles shook his head and bit the dry skin around his thumbnail while bouncing his leg. Fucking mood ruiner.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Stiles took his order of fast food and thanked the worker. He hadn't felt like cooking but he still didn't want his dad cheating on his diet and eating some greasy burger on his break. He drove to the station and greeted the officers on his way to his dad's office. His dad was swarmed with paperwork, fingers massaging his temples.

  
"Hey, dad", Stiles said as he walked in. His dad's shoulders relaxed just the tiniest bit upon seeing him and the firm line of his lips eased.

  
"Hi, son. Bring me dinner?" he asked, eyeing the bags in Stiles' hands.

  
"Yep! Tofu burger, ice water and sweet potato fries for you, curly fries and coke for me", Stiles announced and unloaded the food onto the desk ignoring the disgusted face his father was making.

  
"Why you hate me so, Stiles?" his dad asked, pain in his voice as he unwrapped the burger.

  
"You'll thank me in ten years when you're holding your grandchild", Stiles countered. He was tired of having this argument every time they ate together but he would keep fighting as long as it took for his dad to realize that he didn't do this to be mean.

  
"That kid better be the most amazing kid ever", his dad mumbled and took a bite of his burger. Stiles picked on his curly fries, trying to steal glances on the files his dad had open on the desk but they were moved away from his curious eyes with a pointed look. Their meal was interrupted by a frazzled looking Parrish who stormed into the office. They both jumped up in alarm when the deputy opened the door.

  
"There's another child missing", Parrish simply said before hurrying out of the doorway.

  
"Go home, Stiles", his dad him commanded as he left to follow the deputy.

  
"Dad, wh-"

  
"I said go home!"

  
The office door slammed shut and Stiles sat back down to his dad's office chair. He tapped his fingers on the desk for a moment and listened to the hasty footsteps on the other side of the door. His dad didn't come back so he felt confident to really start digging around the case files. The understaffed station would pretty much be empty as they started to patrol the streets for the newly missing child.

  
Alex Steward, aged 7. Went missing from the family's backyard from near the edge of the preserve when getting their dog inside for the night. She had already been wearing her pink starred pajamas and matching little flip-flops. The parents told reported that it had taken them approximately ten to fifteen minutes to notice that she hadn't come back inside. They had called the police after realizing that she wasn't hiding nearby. Also, she knew better than to go off on her own. The first search party had been assembled the next day to make sure she hadn't wandered to the preserve but there had been no sign of her, and the werewolves had all confirmed that the girl had not been in the forest even for a minute. The police was suspecting the girl's uncle: a man with a dropped lawsuit of sexual assault from five years ago was a prime suspect in a case like this. Stiles too had thought it was a clear cut case but why would have his dad been still reading her file then? He decided to read through it, and towards the end noticed another file under it.

  
James Newton, aged 8. A teacher reported him missing a few days before Alex was taken. Deputy Gomez, after visiting the boy's home, came to the conclusion that he was a runaway. An alcoholic mother, a rundown house and a moldy room - kids had ran away from home for less. Except, apparently, his dad didn't think that James was a runaway. He flipped through the pages. James was a trouble child it seemed, and deputy Gomez's conclusion was valid while his dad was just going on a hunch. But it was a reliable hunch, his dad wasn't stupid.

  
His dad had began to write a very short list comparing these two kids: different gender and age, and same school, but that was almost a given as there were only two elementary schools in Beacon Hills. 50/50 chance didn't tell anything yet. They needed to know where this third kid went to school to make any kind of conclusions.

  
Loud footsteps walking past the office door startled Stiles to acknowledge that if he was caught reading these case files his dad could get in trouble. He took quick pictures of everything so he could continue his investigation at home.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

"Lyds, please", Stiles whined but let her drag him to the fourth store that day. They had already spent hours at the mall picking out their Christmas presents. Stiles had bought everyone their presents already but Lydia was still choosing.

  
"Quit whining, you big baby! Kira is in her little la la land with Scott. And Malia, well, she doesn't have any taste", Lydia explained. Of course Stiles knew all this but he wouldn't have wanted to leave his investigation even for a little while after  just having had his hands on the newest case file on the string of missing children. Ginny Morrison, aged six, the latest victim had gone missing the other night and he needed to add her information to his board from the pictures on his phone.

  
"For once I can honestly say that they were wiser than I", he grumbled, and shied away guiltily when Lydia shot him a glare.

  
"Get real, Stiles. Without me you would've bought everyone an Avengers shirt", Lydia said, rolling her eyes.

  
"And there wouldn't have been anything wrong with that!" Stiles argued.

  
"I refuse to be Black Widow just because I have red hair like her", she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder to make a point.

  
"You wouldn't be Black Widow just because you have red hair, Lyds! You'd be Black Widow because you're a badass intellect!" That got a pleased smile out of her and Stiles felt victory bloom in his chest. Their pack had been healing slowly but surely, and it felt like a great accomplishment when he got a smile out of Lydia.

  
"And you would totally rock that black spandex suit", he added. Lydia laughed at that. "I totally would", she agreed.

  
Stiles decided to stay outside of the jewelry store and wait for Lydia to pick up her order. She had had a wristwatch engraved for her mother and it was finally done, thank god. He couldn't have taken anymore of her worrying that it wouldn't be done before Christmas, and it was only the sixteenth day.

  
He looked down over the ledge to the ground level where little kids were waiting to sit in the Santa's lap and get a picture with him. Stiles' mom had taken him to the mall-Santa a few times but he was too hyper to actually have the patience to wait in the line so she hadn't taken him to meet the man that many times. While looking at the Santa move around and interact with the children he noticed something familiar about him. He had to squint his eyes and lean over the railing a bit to see more clearly but the Santa was definitely Peter. Peter fucking Hale was smiling and laughing and entertaining kids.

  
What the actual fuck.

  
He dug his phone out of his pocket and called Derek to tell him where exactly his _suspicious_ uncle was spending his days.

  
"Sourwolf, hey, I know where your uncle is."

  
"At the mall playing Santa, I know. I've been following him the whole day", Derek answered him.

  
"You're both so creepy I can't even...", Stiles muttered and continued to watch Peter hold a little boy who babbled excitedly at him while he smiled and nodded at the boy with a gentleness Stiles had never had the chance to see. "You know I really didn't mean that you should start to stalk him?"

  
"Someone has to keep an eye on him so he won't return to his evil ways. I'm still not convinced that he's just doing this out of the goodness of his heart." Stiles heard muffled noises coming from Derek's end, something about him having to leave the mall and stop stalking the kids. Stiles almost laughed at the thought of the security thinking Derek was some kind of pedophile.

  
"I'm just looking for my friend", Derek answered them, a clear hint for Stiles to come find him.

  
Stiles looked over his shoulder and saw Lydia still talking with the saleswoman in the jewelry shop. He'd be back in a minute anyway, she'd barely have any time to miss him. Hopefully. He hurried down the stairs with his shopping bags hitting his legs. He spotted Derek and two guards standing near the stairs behind a pillar so Peter wasn't able to see Derek ' _keeping an eye on him_ '.

  
"Hi, honey! Sorry to keep you waiting", Stiles jumped down the last few steps and threw himself dramatically at Derek who caught him effortlessly, even giving him a kiss on the forehead for good measure. Stiles dumped all of his bags to him without any remorse because hey, if the big creeper needed help then he sure as hell had to kiss Stiles' butt for it, and turned to the guards as if he was surprised to see them there.

  
"Is there something wrong?" he asked innocently, looking between them and Derek while wrapping his arm around Derek's waist. It felt nice, to have him so close to him.

  
"No, nothing's wrong. We're sorry for the misunderstanding, sir", one of the guards apologized awkwardly and they left quietly. Even Stiles could sense the embarrassment coming from the duo.

  
"Where would you be without me, boo?" Stiles teased when it was just the two of them standing in Derek's hiding place. Derek wrinkled his nose in (what Stiles knew was just mocking) disgust and shoved all the bags back to Stiles. He fumbled a moment, snickering mockingly.

  
"Well, have you cracked the enigma that is Peter Hale? Poisoned candy? Or perhaps he's recruiting minions for his evil purposes?" Stiles mocked. Derek growled and looked at him sharply. "No. Besides, you don't know him like I do. He doesn't have a heart, not anymore", he whispered the last part but Stiles caught it.

  
"Look, Derek, I know you don't trust him after what he has done. Hell, none of us really trust him, but does that-", Stiles gestured at Peter lifting a shyly smiling little girl onto his lap, "-look like a man who is currently scheming some evil plan to get all of our heads? I think not".

  
Derek looked thoughtfully at his uncle. His jaw muscle ticked and his fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly. No one trusted Peter but Stiles was certain that Peter was laying low at the moment, and Derek should just relax, rest and gather his strength for the next time his uncle decided he wanted to be the Alpha.

  
"You better go. Lydia's looking for you."

  
"Shit!" Stiles cursed and darted up the stairs. He wouldn't have gotten anything out of Derek anyway, the man wouldn't tell you anything if he didn't want to.

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

Stiles had prepared to spent another sleepless night staring at the board he had made of the case. His dad looked at it disapprovingly every time he saw it but Stiles felt like he needed to do this. It was like retribution for what he had done when he had been possessed by the nogitsune. For the lives he had taken.

  
The most important list on the board was _Connections_. Whoever was taking these kids wouldn't be doing it just by random, would they now? So he had been trying to find the connection between James, Alex and Ginny that made them the perfect targets for the perpetrator. So far, he hadn't come up with anything but he was confident in himself to find something.

  
"You should be in bed", Derek's deep voice startled him from his thoughts and he spun around, almost knocking his board over but he made Derek's lips quirk up to a little smile with his clumsiness. God, he still wasn't used to Derek crawling in from his window or ambushing him when he was sitting in his car.

  
"I thought we'd established that I have some serious sleeping problems a long time ago", Stiles sighed and relaxed his posture, running his fingers through his still moist hair from his earlier shower.

  
"There was another kid kidnapped", Derek told him as he sat down to Stiles' bed.

  
"What? Who? When? How?" Stiles babbled, almost tripping over himself when he dashed to sit down at his desk to write everything down.

  
"Landon Jones. I heard your dad when I walked past the scene. It had just happened."

  
"Why didn't you stay to help?" Stiles asked.

  
"Yeah, Stiles, what a great idea for me, a drug dealer look-a-like with a criminal record, to lurk around an area where a child has disappeared! I hightailed out of there as fast as I could!"

  
Stiles was silent for a moment.

  
"Point taken."

  
Derek huffed and laid down to the bed.

  
"Hey, hey, hey! No dirty shoes in my bed!" Stiles commanded and pointed an accusing finger towards the muddy boots. You'd think Derek would've learned after the hundredth time.

  
"I still think you'd benefit more of a good night's sleep than staring at that board the whole night", Derek told him, taking off his shoes and jacket. Derek had developed a habit of rolling around in Stiles' bed and sometimes even falling asleep in there. Good that at least someone was using his bed, Stiles supposed, but it made the bed smell like Derek which made it hard for him  _not_ to have the man in his fantasies when he was having some Stiles-time.

  
"And I've told you, I can't sleep."

  
"Why? Nightmares?"

  
Stiles put the new post-it note onto the growing branch of leads and ignored Derek's insistent questions. He would've never imagined that he'd miss the silent, brooding Derek that didn't go around psychoanalyzing him at every turn.

  
"Or are you scared of sleep walking again? You're afraid that someone is going to take control of you while your consciousness is asleep?"

  
Stiles' eye twitched.

  
"I'm going to make us sandwiches. You want a Coke?" He didn't give Derek time to answer before he was out of the room and going down the stairs. He had accidentally left the living room TV on after mindlessly flipping through every channel there was to distract himself at least for a moment. It had apparently got stuck on the local news. The newsreader was talking about the kidnapping and there seemed to be a reporter at the scene. There was the family, the father holding their baby girl tightly in his arms while the mother was completely hysteric. The video caught what she was telling to Deputy Parrish, who dutifully wrote everything down: "He was a big man, taller than my husband, and he was wearing some kind of fur. It was black or dark gray-", Stiles ran up the stairs after Derek's low growl, and attempted to stop the wolf from leaping out of the window.

  
"Derek! It's not Peter, it can't be!"

  
"What more prove do you need? He's been working as a Santa at the mall, choosing his victims and then kidnapping them in his wolf form so no one would catch onto him!"

  
Before Stiles could protest, Derek had wrenched himself free of his hold. He had barely graced the ground when he was already running towards his loft to start tracking Peter.

  
Stiles sighed and hit the wall next to the window.

  
"Why no one listens to me around here??"

  
He pocketed his keys and rushed to his Jeep to go after Derek and stop him from doing something stupid.

  
Fortunately, his Jeep managed to stay in one piece all the way to the loft, and he was able to get there only a few moments later than Derek. When he stepped inside, Derek and Isaac were both holding Peter against one of the tiled walls by his throat while Peter struggled to get out of their hold.

  
"Have you two gone insane? Let me down, _now_!" he growled and bared his fangs.

  
"For fuck's sake, Derek, let the man down!" Stiles called but Derek only tightened his hold. Isaac took a hesitant step back. Stiles must've imagined the Alpha-red of Derek's eyes intensifying as he walked closer.

  
"I'm telling you, it's not Peter!"

  
Peter looked confused as his glowing blue eyes flitted between the show-down between Stiles and Derek.

  
"Put him into a circle of mountain ash", Derek commanded and when Stiles didn't immediately comply he yelled: "Now, Stiles!" Stiles flinched and hurried to circle them with the mountain ash until there was only a small opening where Derek was holding Peter. He closed the gap when Derek released his hold on his uncle, leaving Peter inside the circle to flash his eyes angrily at them.

  
"Derek", Peter addressed his nephew with gritted teeth, "what is the meaning of this?"

  
"The meaning is that you're going to die."

  
"I didn't do anything this time! I even helped you with the nogitsune and Stiles!" Peter argued and gestured towards the said boy.

  
"Don't act innocent! We know what you've been up to", Derek snarled. Peter looked genuinely baffled. "And what exactly I've been up to?"

  
"Kidnapping kids."

  
Peter looked even angrier than before, if that was even possible.

  
"Peter doesn't even have a motive! Derek, you're being ridiculous", Stiles jumped in.

  
"Actually...", Isaac said awkwardly and showed them a spell book, no doubt found from Peter's room.

  
"Oh for the love of god...", Stiles mumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why do you have that?" he gestured at he picture and looked at Peter.

  
"Well why the fuck do you think I have a book about magic, hm? Seemed like a good idea to educate myself since this pack is in trouble every other week!"

  
Stiles raised his eyebrow at Derek. "Seems like a valid point to me."

  
Derek's jaw muscle ticked as he looked at Stiles. "Isaac, read through it and check if there's something involving children."

  
Isaac flipped through the pages, a crease appearing onto his forehead. "Uh, I'd love to, but everything's in Latin."

  
"Of course it is in Latin", Derek muttered. "Where are your translations?" he asked his uncle. 

  
Peter snorted, sat down and leaned against the wall. "I'm feeling a little bit uncooperative at the moment. Maybe if you'd let me out-"

  
"No. You're not coming out of there until you've been proven either guilty or innocent. Stiles, get to work".

  
"What? Why me? I don't know any Latin!" Stiles wailed and trashed a bit as Derek gently pushed him towards the couch. "You should call Lydia!"

  
"Like any of us has the balls to call her in the middle of the night and wake her up", Isaac said and shuddered.

  
"Please, Stiles." Stiles had never heard Derek use the word 'please' in a context involving him. It was kind of weird but nice at the same time.

  
"Ugh. Fine! Let me at least get my laptop", he relented and threw his hands in the air in surrender. Like hell would he attempt getting Lydia out of bed before the sunrise.

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

Stiles entered his dark home without even thinking that it was odd that all the lights were out when they'd all been on - even the living room TV had still showed the local news when he left - and just pounded up the stairs to grab his laptop real quick. And a pack of noodles for midnight snack for himself. And a can of Coke. Maybe two. He didn't even bother with the lights, there was a streetlight near enough of his window that it illuminated the room so he wouldn't trip over anything.

  
He had been bent over his desk to take off the charging cable for his laptop to take with him when the little hairs of the back of his neck rose and his stomach lurched as if someone was staring at him. From behind. Any other night he would've thought it was Derek pulling a prank on him and he would've just laughed it off. 

  
He straightened himself. He heard something breathe. It was definitely a warm breath he had felt on the back of his neck.

  
Shit.

  
Shit.

  
Where were all the werewolves when you needed them the most?

  
He darted to his right where his bat rested against the wall but but the person standing behind him was faster and in seconds had him tied up in thick ropes, going around him multiple times, once even over his mouth so he couldn't scream for help.

  
It was a man, an enormous, hairy man, and fucking strong! The ropes were painful and didn't give him much room to breathe. The hot breath tickled him unpleasantly, and he struggled to get away but the man lifted him up effortlessly and put him into some kind of basket which he closed tightly after. Stiles felt the basket being lifted and the man strapping it to his back.

  
Upon realizing that his trashing was futile Stiles became silent and more observant. He tried to determine where this mysterious beast of a man was taking him. And if Derek or someone would come find him. They _had_ to know something had happened to him in a little while, right? Derek would sent Isaac to his house, they would smell this guy and hunt his ass down, right?

  
The bumpy journey lasted quite a while. Anxiety kept building up in Stiles' chest: what would happen to him? Was this some Alpha trying to get to Derek and kidnapped him because he was alone and the weakest?

  
He yelped as he was suddenly dropped to the ground. The lid of the basket was opened and Stiles was let out of it to a dusty floor of a cave. Thankfully his gag was removed and the ropes were loosened a bit so sitting down was more comfortable than it had been in the basket. He blinked a few times, forcing his eyes to adjust to the dark faster. He looked up to the man who had taken him and-

  
And his kidnapper wasn't a man at all.

  
It was a fucking beast! Black fur, thick horns and a long, pink tongue lolling out of its grinning mouth. It had hooves that clanked on the stone, long, sharp nails and its long fangs glinted in the moonlight. It was like a demon goat from hell.

  
"What the fuck", Stiles breathed.

  
On its waist it had a golden belt from which a whip hung along with various plants. Mistletoe was the only one Stiles recognized. He started to fear the worst looking at the items.

  
"You've been a very naughty boy", the beast scolded him with a scratchy voice. "A naughty boy needs to be punished".

  
It took its whip and Stiles cried out when it lashed his skin open on his stomach, over and over again until he collapsed onto his back. The hits kept coming with sharp snaps and Stiles wished for the sweet relief of unconsciousness but it didn't come. 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

"It's taking an awful long time for just picking up a laptop, don't you think?" Peter asked after forty five minutes of waiting. Derek snarled and bared his teeth at his uncle. Like he didn't realize that.

  
"Isaac, go check the house", he told the young wolf who left swiftly. It didn't take long for him to reach the Stilinski house. Derek was already holding his phone when Isaac called him.

  
"He's not here, Derek. The Jeep is parked on the driveway but Stiles is nowhere to be found", Isaac told him. He heard Isaac rustling around on the other end. His heartbeat had sped up and he was breathing shallowly.

  
"It's...odd. His scent is in the room but then it just - just disappears". Something got crushed in the background.

  
"It's a mistletoe", Isaac said quietly. Stiles would never have mistletoe in his room. 

  
"Wait there and call Scott and Kira."

  
"See? I'm not always to blame", Peter said with a wide grin and stood up. "Now you can release me from here so I can help."

  
"Too bad I'm not actually someone who can touch the circle", Derek said, not apologetic at all and not caring of Peter's enraged growl. He ran out of the loft, waiting for Malia to pick up. They needed to find Stiles before it was too late.

  
\---*---*---*---

  
At Stiles' house he found to his surprise that Lydia was also in the house even though no one had called her. Then again, it could be much worse than they had originally thought if Lydia had come without them telling her to.

  
Malia emerged from down the street, out of breath and eyes glowing blue. She passed him with a nod before going straight inside, Derek hot on her heels. Their whole pack was here now.

  
They all stood in Stiles' room, Isaac still holding the hefty branch of mistletoe.

  
"There's no scent", Scott confirmed what Isaac had told him earlier. Desperation clawed at his panicking heart.

  
"I think it's because of the mistletoe", Malia told them and nodded towards the plant.

  
"Mistletoe alone can't do that", Derek shook his head.

  
"But if it is mixed with other plants, they might produce a conduct that you wouldn't be able to smell", Lydia told them. She had been studying these things with Stiles - on Stiles' insistence that they should learn some of the magical abilities of regular plants.

  
"Do you think it's the same thing that's been taking kids these past weeks?" Kira asked. "There's always been mistletoe in the houses but we've put it on the Christmas holidays - everyone has mistletoe in their houses during Christmas".

  
"Oh my God", Lydia faltered and sat down to Stiles' chair.

  
"What? Lydia, we don't have much time!" Scott knelt down next to her and tried to peer into her eyes.

  
"Christmas is coming!" Lydia yelled but everyone looked at her with cocked heads like lost puppies. "Who comes around Christmas?"

  
"Santa?" Scott asked. They were all getting confused now.

  
"And who's the evil, pagan version of Santa?" Lydia prompted.

  
"Krampus", Derek supplied and all eyes turned to him. "What? I read creepy stories too."

  
Malia was the least disturbed about this piece of information and turned back to Lydia.

  
"So you're saying that Santa's evil twin brother took Stiles? Why?"

  
"Krampus eats naughty children. The kids must've been-"

  
"We need to find him. Let's theorize after we've saved him", Scott interrupted Lydia impatiently.

  
"Where would he be?"

  
"I think it would need a reclusive place and shelter. A cave maybe, something big where it could hide during the day", Lydia pondered.

  
"I know a place! Let's go", Malia exclaimed after a moment of thinking. She was just a blur as she ran out of the room and house. Lydia raised an eyebrow at Derek, who obediently squatted down a bit so she could climb onto his back. Scott and Kira had already followed Malia.

  
"Don't worry Derek, we'll get him back in one piece", Lydia comforted him with a soft voice. Derek hoped so. He cared too much about Stiles to lose him like this.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone!


	7. Chapter 7

 

Stiles opened his eyes blearily when the violent lashes came to a stop. He had deep wounds that bled at a fast pace to the ground, making him light headed. Blood was everywhere: the coppery taste was in his mouth, he felt it slide down his skin and he smelled it in the air. It was sickening. He had tried rolling around to avoid getting hit but managed to just have the beast open his skin all over his body.

  
When the beast was finally still and silent, it was as if howls echoed in the night. He must've been dreaming.

  
The beast gave Stiles a look so infuriated he was afraid he'd be dead with one final lash around his throat. Or maybe it would be mercy, he thought as he closed his eyes but the hit never came. Instead, the beast had turned around and looked for whatever had caught its attention.

  
He heard the howls again. Maybe he wasn't dreaming after all.

  
Red, blue and yellow eyes soon gleamed in the distance and the wind carried enraged snarls all the way to the cave.

  
"Naughty wolves", the beast said before running out. Derek ran too and met it head on, followed by Isaac, Scott and Kira. Stiles was just relieved that this wasn't the way he died, and closed his eyes. When he felt two pairs of hands touching him and voices prompting him to open his eyes, he complied and smiled gratefully at Malia and Lydia who hauled him to sit upright.

  
Malia cut off the ropes while Lydia held him so he wouldn't collapse. It was one of the best feelings to be smothered by them, his mouth full of brown and strawberry blonde hair. Malia took some of his pain away but there was so much of it that it barely did anything to give him relieve. Soon, Malia joined the others to fight the demonic goat and Stiles and Lydia were left to watch as the lives of their friends were put on the line once again.

  
Lydia sobbed against his neck, her salty tears making his wounds burn.

  
"I'm so glad you're alive", she kept whispering. Stiles was too.

  
Derek roared, his eyes glowing in the dark the brightest. Stiles didn't see well what was going on but it seemed his friends were doing okay.

  
"How do we kill it?" Scott yelled out of breath.

  
"I smell mistletoe, loads of it", Malia told them. The others had picked up on it too. Derek suspected that Krampus had a large supply of various plants hidden somewhere so it wouldn't suddenly run out of anything.

  
"Enough mistletoe can kill anything", Derek said. "Kira, collect everything you can. We'll hold it", he instructed. The kitsune nodded and left to collect the plants while the beast struck with its whip to where Isaac was standing. He cried out and the other wolves snarled warningly. They had it surrounded but for how long?

  
It struck out again but Malia was faster and managed to dodge the lash. Kira ran back to the others, yelling: "Ready?"

  
The pack attacked at the same time when Kira was close enough and by some miracle managed to pin it down. Derek was the most furious and determined, and with one claw he immobilized one of its hands while with the other he ripped the beast's jaw open so Kira could stuff all the mistletoe down its throat. Stiles felt his eyelids troop but he had to see for himself that they'd be okay.

  
It made a sound that was close to screaming in agony and tried to shake the pack off. Isaac lost his grip and was thrown harshly onto the ground. He shook himself and jumped right back, this time sinking his claws deeper into the flesh than before. Derek and Kira held the mouth closed so the beast couldn't spit the mistletoe out. Stiles smiled tiredly and passed out.

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

Derek didn't let go even when he heard Lydia screaming Stiles' name. It wasn't her banshee scream but worrying nonetheless. He roared at Krampus and swiped his claws through its throat when he deemed that the mistletoe had been working its magic long enough. It collapsed onto the ground with a loud gurgle and stilled. It was truly an ugly thing, and even scarier looking than in the pictures he had seen floating around the internet.

  
Stiles' slowing heart beat was what urged him to move away from Krampus' body and run towards the cave where Lydia was cradling Stiles' head. His body was severely beaten, and most of his wounds needed urgent medical attention.

  
"Take him and go!" Lydia screamed at him. " _Hurry_!"

  
Derek took Stiles gently from Lydia's arms and cradled him against him so he wouldn't rip any of the wounds more. He ran past his pack towards where he assumed was the hospital. He wasn't familiar with this part of Beacon Hills but he relayed on his sense of smell to guide him where he needed to go. Stiles' head lolled against his chest where his heart beat fast, not from exhaustion but fear. It was the same kind of fear like when Stiles had been possessed by the nogitsune and they all had thought that he would die.  
He burst into the hospital lobby and spotted Melissa talking to another nurse at the nurses' station.

  
"Melissa" he called. She turned at hearing her name and gasped. Derek couldn't register anything that was happening around him after that until the orderlies told him to let go of Stiles' hand when they were pushing him to have an emergency surgery. A little bit of red bled into his eyes but Melissa was thankfully the only one who noticed. Her hand was soft and gentle as it made Derek let go, and guided him to the waiting room.

  
"He'll be fine, Derek. He's a fighter" she comforted him, her warm hand on his shoulder before rushing back to work.

  
"He is", Derek agreed quietly. Stiles sure was a fighter even though the boy himself didn't believe it.

  
The pack arrived some time later, all of them a bit pale.

  
"We buried it", Malia told him. "And found the kids. Or, well, what was left of them. The sheriff will be here as soon as he has everything sorted at the scene." Derek nodded numbly. The man had been put through hell already but the bad news never seemed to end. Derek snorted at the thought of the sheriff grounding Stiles to an eternity in order to keep the boy from trouble, earning himself confused looks from the pack.

  
\---*---*---*---

  
The sheriff drank the shitty coffee the hospital cafeteria offered and Derek kept his eyes on Stiles. The boy's heart beat had risen a bit and he would be waking up soon, or so Derek suspected.

  
A moment later Stiles opened his eyes with a groan and Derek was up instantly.

  
"Stiles? Are you okay? Are you hurting badly?"

  
"I don't think any of us has been okay in a long time", the boy croaked with a dry mouth. His dad held a straw for him to suck water from and Stiles gulped it down greedily. He coughed in between before continuing until the glass was empty.

  
"How are you feeling, son?" the sheriff asked and laid his hand softly on Stiles' bandaged arm.

  
"Like I ran through a woodchipper", Stiles answered weakly. "When are we going to eat?"

  
Derek dared to crack a little smile. "Not for a while", the sheriff told him laughing.

  
"But 'm hung'", Stiles protested weakly but closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Derek spent the morning leeching some of Stiles' pain away every now and then. The doctors told them that Stiles was facing a painful recovery but would be fine. He would have the scars for the rest of his life but no other permanent damage had been done to him.

  
\---*---*---*---

  
Stiles had to stay at the hospital for a few days to be monitored. Derek spent most of his days there with Stiles while the others were preparing to spent Christmas with their families. Isaac was staying at the McCalls, which Derek actually preferred. He hadn't celebrated Christmas in a long time and he doubted he would be good company for a teenager during the holiday. He didn't even have a Christmas tree to put up. His uncle was still butthurt for being accused of kidnapping children and was giving Derek the cold shoulder, not that Derek actually minded.  
"Why did it have to be me?" Stiles asked the second day he had to stay in the hospital bed. A nurse had just checked Stiles over and promised that he'd be released the next day, just in time for Christmas. The sheriff had been buying loads of food and the pack was decorating the house for the holidays to surprise Stiles when he got to come home.

  
Derek didn't know what to say. What could he say to make Stiles feel better?

  
"Why was it even here? Was it because of the nogitsune? Did it attract it to Beacon Hills?" Stiles kept asking although they both knew it was the most probable explanation. Derek frowned a little deeper. There was a hint of salt in the air. Stiles was crying. "And what about all the little kids? They couldn't have been as evil as I - the nogitsune - was."

  
"Stiles. Many supernatural creatures aren't like werewolves: we're half human and we can think rationally. Others are pure monsters, they can only think black and white. Even though you weren't in control, it was your body and your soul was still inside it", he explained. Stiles watched him quietly, eyes glassy with tears. "Krampus' way of thinking was black and white. It might've seen the kids arguing with their parents or something like that and deemed them naughty. None of this was your fault", Derek continued. Stiles was uncharacteristically quiet as he looked at him with wet eyes.

  
"Thank you", he whispered eventually. Derek nodded and leeched some more of his pain away.

  
\---*---*---*---

  
The release form couldn't have been signed any faster when Stiles was deemed well enough to go home. Derek drove Stiles home because the sheriff still had to go to the station. He smiled at the delighted look on Stiles' face when he saw the decorations and food his dad had bought for them. He helped the boy lay down to the couch and brought him his laptop after a little snack he put together for them.

  
"Netflix! Finally!" Stiles exclaimed excitedly and opened a random movie. Derek stood awkwardly next to him, not knowing if he was welcome to join.

  
"Sit down, Derek! And take that jacket off, it even looks uncomfortable to wear", Stiles commanded with a piece of chocolate in his mouth. Derek was happy to comply, and moved Stiles so the boy's legs rested in his lap. He could justify the close proximity by saying that the other couch was too far away for him to watch the little computer screen comfortably. But Stiles just smiled at him, a little blush on his cheeks, and turned to the movie.

  
He was invited to stay for the holidays. He was tempted to say yes. It was the look Stiles gave him that convinced him that spending Christmas with the Stilinskis would be good for him. He acted reluctant when he accepted the invitation but both Stiles and his father could see right through him.

  
He could get used to this, having Stiles bugging him 24/7.

  
Later that night, after a few rounds of poker (which the sheriff won), Derek knelt on the bathroom floor in front of Stiles and cleaned the stitched wounds on his legs. Only when the scent of Stiles' arousal started to swirl towards him did he look up at Stiles' wide eyes and slightly parted lips. God, Stiles was handsome.

  
"I promised myself something while I was beaten to an inch of my life", Stiles told him. They had both stopped what they were doing.

  
"I promised myself that if I survived", Derek whined quietly at the _if_ , "I wouldn't hold myself back anymore. I would take more risks to be happier." Stiles had started to cares the back of Derek's head with his thumb while Derek did the same with Stiles' calf.

  
Derek watched Stiles trying to collect courage to get the next sentence out of his mouth, and although he had an idea what Stiles was going to say, he wanted to hear it.

  
"I want to date you."

  
Before Stiles could work himself into a panic over what he had just said, Derek pressed his lips to Stiles' to shut him up. Stiles was a bit surprised at first and clamped his mouth shut but when his brain caught up on what was happening he responded to the soft kiss. It wasn't a hungry kiss Derek was used to having with his partners. It was soft and unhurried because Derek knew they had all the time in the world. He knew that when Stiles was in love, he didn't fall out of love any time soon.

  
When they parted, Stiles' eyes fluttered open slowly.

  
"Wow", he exhaled. Derek smiled and get back to work on dressing Stiles' wounds. He ducked his head more than necessary to hide his deepening flush on his cheeks.

  
"So is that a yes?" Stiles asked.

  
"Should I repeat myself?" Derek asked looking up and raised an eyebrow.

  
"Yeah, yeah you should. I didn't quite catch it on the first time", Stiles smiled and leaned down a bit to meet Derek's lips. They made out until they heard the sheriff clear his throat in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Dad! Don't you know that it's rude to walk into the bathroom when someone's using it?" Stiles spluttered.

"The door was open, son", the sheriff said. "And Derek-"

"I won't hurt him, sir", Derek assured the man that had opened both his home and heart to him. "I will protect him".

The sheriff looked straight into his eyes and seemed to be satisfied with what he saw. "I trust you Derek, but if my trust proves to be misplaced, I know where to get wolfsbane bullets", the sheriff threatened him. Derek nodded - he'd probably want to be shot if he let Stiles down in someway. 

"Good that everything's sorted out then. You boys should finish up and head to bed. And no funny business while I'm in the house!" They all three knew Stiles wouldn't be up for any 'funny business' for a while but it lightened the mood and Stiles hadn't smelled this happy since before the nogitsune.

"You heard the man! Get back to work!" Stiles told him with mock authority and Derek bowed with a: "yes, your Highness", before finishing up what he had started. He helped Stiles to his bed and laid him down, leaving little kissed and beard burn to the side of his neck.

  
"Don't leave. Sleep here", Stiles asked him and tugged his hand when he tried to leave the bedside to sit in a chair until Stiles fell asleep. The sheriff had prepared the guest room for Derek earlier that evening while Derek had gone to pick up some of his things from the loft. Derek climbed in hesitantly at Stiles insistence tugging. He was careful not to jostle him too much, and laid down so Stiles' face was mushed to his chest and the boy's head on top of his bicep. With his other hand, Derek took Stiles' pain away. When he was certain that Stiles had drifted off to sleep, he kissed the boy's forehead and whispered: "You'll always have me."

 


End file.
